Deep Dive Review: Puma Future 19.1

Puma Future

Over the last decade, the soccer equipment world has felt like a three horse race. Nike and adidas constantly pipping each other for the lead, and Puma always sitting just outside the top two. For nearly every review that we’ve posted involving Puma, we’ve mentioned something about how the brand always feels ready to overtake the only brands above them in the pecking order. The truth now seems to feel closer to the idea that Puma really couldn’t care less about who is above them in the “boot table.” The German giant seems to be enjoying the soccer shoe game on their terms and by not feeling like they’re even a part of the rules that seem to dictate the laws of boots. In terms of boots, that would be the boot incarnation of a rebel (or any person that’s ever been dead set against bucking the status quo), the Puma FUTURE never disappoints.

The NETFIT system isn’t just presented as something to alter the world of soccer boots, but as something that’s meant to make the FUTURE a better boot. It’s also been very easy to see why new Puma athletes easily gravitate to the boot as each version has boasted supreme comfort, a great feel for the ball, and a boot that is able to pull off that mystery factor: fun. With the Puma FUTURE 19.1, it’s time to see if the big cat has been able to continue to slap smiles on players faces, or if this boot is less ready for the future and more ready to be left in the past. We laced them up (in dozens of different ways), stepped out under the floodlights, and got to work.

THE LOOK

Puma has never been shy of launching a host of colorways right after a boot has barely hit the market, and the FUTURE 19.1 is no different. Merely a few months from launch and Puma has already graced us with four different colorways (launch, blackout, MVP, and Alter Reality). While we love the launch colorway in terms of fitting the eccentric stylings of Puma perfectly, the three releases after that would be welcome in anybody’s boot bag. The only disappointment is that the FUTURE releases after the launch have fairly tame soleplates.

The design on the upper is best described as being a fingerprint that’s been stretched to cover the entirety of the boot. The ridges of the “print” are raised on the boot as well, and they’re surprisingly firm to the touch. It’s a fantastic idea considering how on brand the FUTURE feels for Puma, so putting a fingerprint on the upper just shows how closely this boot sits to Puma’s chest. The parts not covered by the fingerprint design are mostly unexposed EvoKnit, and these sections look almost identical to past FUTURE options.

The biggest difference between this Future and others might be in how Puma has employed the NETFIT system on the 19.1. Instead of a honeycomb structure across the boot in an extra layer of material, Puma looks like they took a knife and started stabbing both sides of the boot. The result isn’t quite as visually appealing as the last two FUTURE boots to me, but it still showcases the incredible number of lacing options that this boot offers. As we said earlier, the soleplates after the launch version (despite boasting some fun colors on the MVP and Alter Reality) are fairly straightforward and not nearly as psychedelic as the launch version. With the top-tier Puma boots, you don’t receive a boot bag but there have been photos of promotional boxes of these boots showing up with PS4 controllers which I think all of us would welcome as part of what shows up with a boot, right?

THE TOUCH

The FUTURE silo has offered an incredible level of feel for the ball since we were first introduced to the unique boot. Despite boasting multiple materials and layers to include the evoKnit and NETFIT technology, Puma has always made sure that the boot offers a great feel for the ball and an experience that fits the personality of the FUTURE. The newest version seems to have a similar silhouette and build to past versions, so we were hoping that we’d have as much fun in this version.

The first moments were a bit scary as the forefoot starts off a little stiff, so the first few moments on the ball felt a bit clumsy. However, as the forefoot softens up, we get back into the warm waters that the FUTURE tends to offer. First touches are smooth and crisp because the boot’s upper is responsive and, because of the dual layers, soft. Puma has long been the masters of leather, but the FUTURE has always used two layers of synthetic or knitted material on the FUTURE and the 19.1 is no different. The upper is thin enough to avoid ever feeling detached from the ball, but you definitely notice some moments where the upper has been given the right level of thickness to take the sting out of rockets and for bringing the ball out of the air with ease.

Passing and shooting with the FUTURE 19.1 is what really ushers you into the “fun” that we’ve almost always experienced with the FUTURE through the generations. You always feel like you’re getting the right mix of feel for light and intricate touches, but a build that also feels great when you are trying to put the ball in row Z. The FUTURE isn’t marketed towards a type of player (the sponsored FUTURE athletes truly play everywhere on the pitch), and your time in the boot shows how it has been crafted to feel right with any type of play. Trying to get a foot stuck in for tackles offers nice protection, launching balls out of the back are properly cushioned, close dribbling on the wing never feels sticky or like you lose track of the ball, passing out of any section of the field is cushioned and crisp, and shooting the ball seems to ping right off the forefoot or completely exposed evoKnit. The biggest plus that Puma can take away from this boot is how easily this boot would fit any player’s style of play with ease and enjoyment.

It’s been a long time since we’ve had a boot not knock out the performance underfoot. The FUTURE 19.1 is no different as the soleplate offers elite responsiveness from the thick “X” that crosses the midfoot, but the right flex in the forefoot to help you make sure that you can stay on your toes from the opening whistle to the end of the 90 minutes. The conical set-up is perfect for keeping you from worrying about slipping and allows you to make quick cuts without worrying about your studs getting purchase in the field. Puma does describe the set-up as AG/FG, but we aren’t quite sold on AG use as the studs are a slight bit longer than I’d like to see on a turf pitch.

THE FEEL

Puma has long been the underrated purveyors of comfort. The Puma ONE and FUTURE haven’t hit a version where one of the first aspects you noticed was how quickly the boot felt broken-in. However, the FUTURE 19.1 started out giving us a bit more a scare than we had anticipated. As we mentioned in “THE TOUCH,” the boot starts out being a bit stiff. In fact, it’s stiff on the forefoot upper AND underfoot. Considering how soft the EvoKnit has always been when it has been utilized, this had us worried that the FUTURE series was about to lose a fan. We should know better than to worry about a Puma boot.

After only a short time in the boot, the upper softens and the feel of the super soft evoKnit that is exposed in the midfoot starts to blend with the forefoot quite nicely. Perhaps it’s just the nature of having two layers that lends itself to the initial stiffness, but Puma has made sure to keep the liner soft and with a bit of forgiveness to make sure that the boot doesn’t sit on your foot like a block of wood. The areas of exposed evoKnit are soft from the get-go, making sure that the slight collar and area where a tongue would naturally sit is incredibly plush out of the box.

The situation underfoot is never going to meet up with past Puma boots that could be flexed to the point of forming a circle, but it does start to have some nice flex after a few wears. The soleplate is built to make sure that the boot is extremely responsive, even after loads of wear. We never felt any major pressure points build up underfoot, and we realized how spoiled we’ve gotten on boots jumping right out of the box feeling completely broken-in. Puma hasn’t held back on the comfort with the 19.1, they’ve just made sure that this boot is built to last and offer all the aspects that the brand wants the FUTURE to possess.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Puma always keeps their retail prices sitting a bit under their biggest competitors. The FUTURE 19.1 is no different with several of the colorways already available for under $200, but that’s still going to be a tough mountain for some wallets to climb. As with every boot over the price tag of say, a Nike Premier, it’s going to come down to your budget and how much you’re wanting to spend. The FUTURE 19.1 is a great boot and we can’t recommend it enough.

WHO’S WEARING IT

The Puma stable seems to be ever-expanding, and the FUTURE 19.1 is home to several powerhouse players. Most notable might be Luis Suarez, Marko Arnautovic, and Marco Reus. Reus, Arnautovic, and others actually tend to wear their FUTURE 19.1 without any laces! It probably helps that these professionals have their boots made to a custom last, but it’s certainly an intriguing way to use a boot that has such an interesting lacing system!

FINAL VERDICT

The FUTURE 19.1 continues an impressive tradition for this boot silo, and we are definitely on board with shouting the praises of this Puma outing. The comfort is exactly what we’d want from an elite release, the feel on the ball is what top-tier models should strive for, and the overall package the FUTURE offers will be please players of any position, play-style, and age. In an era where everything must be geared and marketed towards specific play-types (like control, speedsters, tricksters, power players, etc), it’s refreshing to find a boot that simply exists to be enjoyed by any and all. If you’re in the market for a high quality offering and looking to step a bit outside what everyone else on your team is wearing, there’s a place for you with the FUTURE 19.1.

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About the author: Andrew McCole

If I may be so bold to condense my immense personality into two words, it would be: soccer nerd. I love everything about the beautiful game and I tend to reflect that in my writing. I suffer through Liverpool fandom and hope that they will win another title before my wife spreads my ashes at Anfield (considering I'm in my twenties, it seems somewhat likely). Although I also dabble in tennis, teaching, and coaching, most of my free-time is spent writing articles for The Instep! Feel free to stalk me on Google+